MLB Rumors: Kelly Shoppach To The Seattle Mariners?

The Seattle Mariners have had a busy winter so far but don’t appear done adding players this offseason. This time, however, it looks like they’re working to address their thin ranks at catcher as they reportedly near a deal with free agent back stop Kelly Shoppach to come in and split catching duties with Jesus Montero.

According to Prospect Insider’s Jason Churchill, the M’s are making significant progress with a free agent catcher, and could be close to a deal. The most logical choice on the market is Shoppach, who has limited prospects on the open market and has a history with manager Eric Wedge from his time with the Cleveland Indians. The move makes sense with the lack of depth Seattle left itself with at catcher even after signing Ronny Paulino to a minor league deal.

Shoppach isn’t a great defensive catcher, but he’s passable in a pinch. Set to turn 33 during the season, Shoppach brings a wealth of experience to the position, playing eight seasons in the major leagues for four different teams. Last season, he finished the year with the New York Mets after starting with the Boston Red Sox.

He hit .233/.309/.425 in 2012 with eight home runs and 27 RBI in 245 plate appearances over 76 games. Over the last two seasons, Shoppach has hit 19 home runs despite limited playing time and has a career slugging percentage of .418, so he has some pop in his bat still.

However, there are questions about Shoppach’s game at the major league. He hasn’t been an everyday catcher since 2008 so there is concern about his durability if asked to take the bulk of the starts behind home plate. He’s also one of the more prolific strike out artists in the game, with a career whiff rate of 33.4%.

The M’s need another back stop to at least give Montero some days off during the season or act as insurance in case the youngster doesn’t pan out. But how often Shoppach would be able to contribute and how much he’s still got left in the tank remain to be seen. Leave it to the Mariners, however, to kick the tires and find out.

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